Forum: Author Hangout

Amazon edits book blurb

Bondi Beach 🚫
Updated:

Amazon edited the one of the opening paragraphs for The Cuties All Taste As Good As They Look
for the blurb. They also added text. It did not improve the blurb, but what surprises me is that someone actually took the time to do this. Anyone else seen this?

"Cuties" is here on SOL.

~ JBB

Original text:
... but like I said earlier I never forced anyone and it's not that much blood anyway. That's God's truth. Coming from me that may sound weird, but I was raised Orthodox Christian and I still am

Amazon's text:
I found my true love. [ADDED] Yes, I am a vampire. [ADDED] Like I said, I never ever forced a woman, or a man. No one ever died by me. [ADDED AND REVISED] That's God's truth, which may sound strange coming from me, but I was raised Orthodox Christian and I still am. [REVISED]

Replies: Big Ed Magusson garymrssn Michael Loucks Big Ed Magusson Bondi Beach

Big Ed Magusson 🚫

@Bondi Beach

WTF? Is there an AI button now involved somehow?

Replies: Bondi Beach

Bondi Beach 🚫

@Big Ed Magusson

It seemed to be important to them to make it clear that the narrator is a vampire and that he never actually killed anyone. AI that dumbs down?
~ JBB

Replies: Big Ed Magusson

Big Ed Magusson 🚫

@Bondi Beach

Modifying any sales text is just not cool. I'm wondering how as much as why. This smells like an automated "fix".

garymrssn 🚫

@Bondi Beach

I suspect Amazon is experimenting with their new AI play toy and you are the unwitting mouse.

Replies: awnlee jawking

awnlee jawking 🚫

@garymrssn

I suspect Amazon is experimenting with their new AI play toy

If only they could task it with detecting plagiarism :-(

AJ

Michael Loucks 🚫

@Bondi Beach

was raised Orthodox Christian and I still am

Convert later in life, but Subdeacon here. :-)

Replies: Bondi Beach

Bondi Beach 🚫

@Michael Loucks

Convert later in life, but Subdeacon here. :-)

I highly recommend Elizabeth Kostova's The Historian (2005). Remember, old Vlad was a hero defending against invading Islam. Neither Orthodox nor Roman come off well in Kostova's story. It is a truly terrifying book, although it does have some funny and charming scenes. Promoted as a beach read, but it's good with or without a beach. I don't recommend reading it at night, however.

~ JBB

Replies: Michael Loucks

Michael Loucks 🚫

@Bondi Beach

I highly recommend Elizabeth Kostova's The Historian (2005).

Per Amazon: You purchased a Hardcover edition on September 12, 2005.

😎

Replies: Bondi Beach

Bondi Beach 🚫

@Michael Loucks

I did, indeed. A first edition.
~ JBB

Replies: Michael Loucks

Michael Loucks 🚫

@Bondi Beach

My big problem with it was I was tricked into reading a vampire book.

Replies: awnlee jawking

awnlee jawking 🚫

@Michael Loucks

My big problem with it was I was tricked into reading a vampire book.

Are you sure it wasn't just a paper cut? :-)

AJ

Big Ed Magusson 🚫

@Bondi Beach

Was it just the one blurb? And do we know if other authors have been affected?

I presume it's a new blurb and not an older book...

Replies: Bondi Beach

Bondi Beach 🚫

@Big Ed Magusson

I presume it's a new blurb and not an older book...

It's a new story and new blurb.

~ JBB

Replies: Switch Blayde

Switch Blayde 🚫

@Bondi Beach

It's a new story and new blurb.

Can you change it back?

Replies: Bondi Beach

Bondi Beach 🚫

@Switch Blayde

I'm going to try. There are two significant errors in their changes: "I found my true love," [No, although the narrator really really likes her], and "No one ever died by me," [The narrator says he never forced anyone, but does not say whether anyone died].

~ JBB

Bondi Beach 🚫

@Bondi Beach

STOP PRESS

I blew it. Totally. My deepest apologies to all, and even to Amazon. In seeking to change what I took to be bad edits, I checked the original blurb language on Lulu. To my chagrin, I see the same text there. I cannot believe I wrote it that way but apparently I did. I must have thought it needed softening.

Going to sit quietly now. Sorry, all.

~ JBB

Replies: awnlee jawking

awnlee jawking 🚫

@Bondi Beach

I checked the original blurb language on Lulu. To my chagrin, I see the same text there.

Your confession is admirable and I hope it's appreciated - we've all been there.

But, as a Brit, the first thought that crossed my mind was, 'What a Lulu!'

A quick glance at Google suggests that in most cultures, the expression doesn't mean what I'm accustomed too.

AJ

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Amazon edits book blurb

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